Applying tool for rail anchors



Nov. 20, 1928.

R. T. SCHOLES APPLYING TOOL FOR RAIL ANCHORS Original Filed Jan. 8, 192

Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE- RICHARD 'I. SCHOLES, OIE1IINSDALE, ILLINOIS.

APPLYING TOOL FOR BAIL ANCI'IORfi Original application filed January 8, 1926, Serial No. 79,999. Divided and this application filed May 24,

This invention relates to. rail anchoring devices, and more particularly to an improved tool or apparatus for easily and expeditiously applying certain types of rail anchors to the rail. The subject matter of this application was originally disclosed in my prior application, Serial No. 79,999, filed January 8, 1926, now issued as Patent Number 1,607,644, of which this present application is a division.

Certain types of rail anchors, for example, the anchor disclosed and claimed in my copending application 7 9,999 hereinabove referred to, are applied tothe rail by hooking one end of the anchor over one flange of the rail base, and then snapping the other hooked end into place by applying an upward pressure to this end of the anchor. The present invention relates to a device for conveniently and efficiently pulling such an anchor into place without putting any disturbing strains upon the rail fastening devices or other bodies adjacent the track rail. The device comprises a tool formed at its lower end to engage with one end of the rail anchor, and formed at its upper end to be detachably engaged by a claw bar or similar tool fulcrumed upon the rail head.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved applying tool for rail anchors Another object isto provide an improved rail anchor applying device, consisting'of two pivotally connected members, oneadapted to be detachably connected with the rail anchor, and the other adapted to be fulcrumed upon the rail head. Another object is to provide an improved applying tool formed at one end with a'hook adapted to engage with a depression in one end of the rail anchor, and formed at its other end with an enlarged head adapted to be engaged by a claw bar fulcrumed upon the head of the rail. I

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of certain approved forms of apparatus constructed according to the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings; I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the applying tool and rail anchor, both shown in oper- Serial No. 11 1,453.

ative position on arail, which is shown in transverse vertical section.

Fig.2 is an elevation of the tool, taken at right angles to the view thereof shown in Fig. 1. 1

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1, and 2, respectively, showing a modified form of applying too.

The rail anchor, or rail gripping member, as shown in Fig. 1, consists of a single piece metallic bar 1, preferably of substantially square cross-section. The bar 1 has an intermediate downwardly bowed portion 2 terminating at either end insubstantially horlzontal portions having surfaces 8 and 4 adapted to bear against the under surface or bottom of the respective flanges 5 and 6 of the rail base adjacent either edge thereof. One end of the bar is curvedupwardly and inwardly, as at 7, to form a hooked end enclosing a notch 8 adapted to fit about the edge of the rail base flange 5. There is a small angular clearance at 9 between the upper side of notch 8 and the upper surface of the rail base flange to permit a limited vertical swinging movement of the gripping member about this edge of the rail base when the gripping member is being applied. The other end of bar 1 is hooked upwardly and inwardly, similarly to the end 7, to provide a notch 11 which grips the edge of the rail. base flange 6. The notches 8 and 11 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to,: or slightlyjless than, the width of'the rail base, so that when the member 1 is applied to the rail, the rail base will be snugly gripped between the two upturned hooked ends of the bar or anchor 1. The downwardly bowed portion 2 is sulficiently elastic to form a powerful spring which may be flexedto permit the application of the member to the rail base, and will subsequently hold the notched ends of the bar firmly in engagement with the opposite rail base flanges. A, cam-surface 12 is formed on the inner face of the upturned hooked end portion 10, this cam surface sloping outwardly from the upper edge of notch 11.

When the member 1 is to be applied to the rail, the end .7 is first hooked from beneath onto one flange 5 of the rail base, so that the notch 8 is engaged with the edge portion of this rail base flange. The member is indicated in a partly applied position in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The upper edge of the cam surface 12 now projects beyond the outer edge of rail base flange 6 so that when pressure is applied upwardly to this end portion of the rail anchor, the cam surface 12 will engage the edge of the rail base flange and cause the hooked end 10 to be sprung outwardly (the spring portion 2 yielding for this purpose), until the notch 11 can snap into engagement with the edge of the rail base flange. This applying process might be performed with the aid of any upward pull or push, applied to the end 10 of the anchor, for example, by fulcruming a crow-bar on a tie or the road bed and lifting up on the under surface of the anchor until the notched end 11 snaps into place on the rail flange. However, the present invention is concerned with an improved means for performing this applying operation.

The applying-tool 13 is formed of a suitable rod or bar having a lowered hooked end portion 14 adapted to engage in a depression 15 formed in the lower portionof the hooked end 10 of the anchor, and a stem portion adapted to project up alongside the rail and formed at its upper end with an enlarged head 13 similar to that on an ordinary track up. into position on the rail.

spike. The length of the tool 13 will be slightly greater than the height of the rail 16, so that when-applied to the anchor as just described, the enlarged head 13 will extend approximately level with the upper surface. of therail head 17. This tool 13 is 'used in combination with an ordinary claw head 1350f tool 13. Power is applied in the usual manner to the long handle portion 21 of the claw bar (broken away in the drawings), and the rail anchor lis easily pulled The tool 13 may be conveniently formed by welding the hooked end portion 14 onto the end of an ordinary track'spike.

It will be noted that while the applying apparatus as a whole consists of two members, the claw bar 18 and the hook or tool 13, which are pivotally connected when in service by engaging the enlarged head 13 with the forkedend portion of the claw bar, that the only new equipment necessary is the simple hooked tool 13. The claw bar 18 is a standard part of the track la ing equipment. It will be noted'that when this apparatus is used all thrusts are toward the rail, that is there is a downward thrust on the rail head 17 and an upward thrust on the rail base flange 6, and there are no thrusts tending to loosen the spikes or other connections of the rail with the ties, or to otherwise disturb the anchorage for the rail. Since the applying force is exerted at 15, near the free end of the anchor 1, a long lever arm is provided, measuring from the edge of rail base flange 5, upon which the anchor swings, and at the same time there is no inward pressure on the hooked end 10 to resist the flexing of this end which is necessary to snap the notch 11 intoplace on rail base flange 6.

A modified form of rail anchor, and applying tool, possessing some of the advantages of the preferred form hereinabove described, is shown in Figs. 3 and 4.. The anchor 22 is the same 'as the anchor 1, already described,

.with the addition of a lug 23 projecting shown could be used to apply other anchors than those here shown by way of example, it only being necessary that the anchor be one which is pulled upwardly into position on the rail base flange. Likewise, the lower end of the tool can be given other forms than the hook 14 or loop 25, here shown, in accordance with the particular anchor construction which is to be engaged thereby. All such modifications are within the scope ofthis invention.

I claim:

1. A means for applying rail anchors to a rail, comprising a member having an an- .chor engaging hook at its lower end, and an enlarged head at its upperrend, and an operating lever adapted to be fulcru-med on anchor engaging portion at its lower end,

and an en arged head at its upper end, and an operating lever adapted to be fulcrumed on the rail head and having a short forked arm to engage the head of the first member.

3. A means for applying rail anchors to a rail, comprising a member having an anchor engaging portion at its lower end and an enlarged head at its upper end, and a lifting member adapted to be engaged with the rail and the enlarged head to lift the member. 1

4. A means for applying railanchors to a rail, comprising a member having an anchor engaging hook at its lower endand an en larged head at its upper end, and a lifting member adapted to. beengaged with the rail and the enlarged head to lift the member.

5. A means for applying rail anchors to a rail, comprising a member having an anchor engaging portion at its lower end, and a stem adapted to project up alongside the rail head, and a lifting member adapted to movably engage the rail head and the upper end of the stem for lifting the member to apply the anchor to the rail.

6. A means for applying rail anchors to a rall, comprlslng a member having an anchor engaging portion at its lower end, a stem adapted to project up alongside the rail head, and a lever adapted to pivotally engage the upper end of the stem and to fulcrum on the rail head to lift the member.

RICHARD T. SCHOLES. 

